This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on Web of Science (239)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Treatment of Mental Illness by Nonpsychiatrist Physicians

Rachel A. Schurman, MA; Peter D. Kramer, MD; Janet B. Mitchell, PhD

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1985;42(1):89-94.

Abstract
• Building on a previous study, this report explores in more detail one aspect of the "de facto mental health services system," the treatment of mental disorders by nonpsychiatrist physicians in office-based practice. Data from the 1980 and 1981 National Ambulatory Medical Care surveys indicate that almost one half of all office visits to a physician resulting in a mental disorder diagnosis are to nonpsychiatrists, mostly in primary care. Nonpsychiatrists' mentally ill patients tend to be less seriously ill than patients of psychiatrists, and are more likely to come in with physical problems. They are also significantly more likely to be female, to be nonwhite, and to be elderly. Physicians treating these patients appear to be providing a different product than psychiatrists are, spending less time with patients, but using a wider range of diagnostic and therapeutic services during each office visit.

Author Affiliations
From Health Economics Research Inc, Chestnut Hill, Mass.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication Aug 9, 1984.

Reprint requests to Health Economics Research Inc, 824 Boylston St, Chestnut Hill, MA 02167 (Dr Mitchell).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Co-occurrence of Insomnia and Anxiety Disorders: A Review of the Literature
Marcks and Weisberg
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF LIFESTYLE MEDICINE 2009;3:300-309.
ABSTRACT  

Equity in Veterans' Mental Health Care: Veterans Affairs Medical Center Clinics Versus Community-Based Outpatient Clinics
Kirchner et al.
American Journal of Medical Quality 2008;23:128-135.
ABSTRACT  

Practice Patterns in Pediatric Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry: A National Survey
Shaw et al.
Psychosomatics 2006;47:43-49.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Improving the Psychiatric Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes of Primary Care Physicians, 1950-2000: A Review
Hodges et al.
Am. J. Psychiatry 2001;158:1579-1586.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Clinical Predictors of Mental Disorders Among Medical Outpatients
Jackson et al.
Arch Intern Med 2001;161:875-879.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The Cost-Utility of Screening for Depression in Primary Care
Valenstein et al.
ANN INTERN MED 2001;134:345-360.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Efficacy of Nurse Telehealth Care and Peer Support in Augmenting Treatment of Depression in Primary Care
Hunkeler et al.
Arch Fam Med 2000;9:700-708.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Knowledge of Mental Health Benefits and Preferences for Type of Mental Health Providers Among the General Public
Mickus et al.
Psychiatr. Serv. 2000;51:199-202.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Financial Incentives Influencing the Integration of Mental Health Care and Primary Care
Goldberg
Psychiatr. Serv. 1999;50:1071-1075.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Trends in Office-Based Psychiatric Practice
Olfson et al.
Am. J. Psychiatry 1999;156:451-457.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Treatment of Depression in Elderly Patients: Recent Advances
DasGupta
Arch Fam Med 1998;7:274-280.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Treating Depression: Talking Among the Disciplines
Heath and Hollander
Arch Fam Med 1998;7:146-147.
FULL TEXT  

Developing a Strategy for Managing Behavioral Health Care Within the Context of Primary Care
Fisher and Ransom
Arch Fam Med 1997;6:324-333.
ABSTRACT  

Self-induced Vomiting as a Presentation of Abdominal Mass
Vaughan and Knight
Pediatrics 1997;99:731-731.
FULL TEXT  

Patterns of Mental Health Service Utilization
Howard et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1996;53:696-703.
ABSTRACT  

Alcohol Treatment and Health Care System Reform
McCrady and Langenbucher
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1996;53:737-746.
ABSTRACT  

Neuroticism in a Family Practice Population in India
Sood et al.
Int J Soc Psychiatry 1996;42:58-67.
ABSTRACT  

Nature of the Medical Encounter
Putnam
Research on Aging 1996;18:70-83.
ABSTRACT  

The Health Care Seeking Behavior of Schizophrenic Patients in 6 East Asian Areas
Rhi et al.
Int J Soc Psychiatry 1995;41:190-209.
ABSTRACT  

Psychiatric Screening in Geriatric Primary Care: Should It Be for Depression Alone?
Lish et al.
J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 1995;8:141-153.
ABSTRACT  

Development and Validation of the SDDS-PC Screen for Multiple Mental Disorders in Primary Care
Broadhead et al.
Arch Fam Med 1995;4:211-219.
ABSTRACT  

Recognition, Management, and Outcomes of Depression in Primary Care
Simon and VonKorff
Arch Fam Med 1995;4:99-105.
ABSTRACT  

Utility of a New Procedure for Diagnosing Mental Disorders in Primary Care: The PRIME-MD 1000 Study
Spitzer et al.
JAMA 1994;272:1749-1756.
ABSTRACT  

Somatization of Asians: An Artifact of Western Medicalization?
Kawanishi
Transcultural Psychiatry 1992;29:5-36.
 

Improvement in Physicians' Counseling of Patients With Mental Health Problems
Brody et al.
Arch Intern Med 1990;150:993-998.
ABSTRACT  

Ohio Community Mental Health Center Directors' Perceptions of Programming for Older Adults: An Exploratory Study
Spore and Atchley
Journal of Applied Gerontology 1990;9:36-52.
ABSTRACT  

Prescribing of Psychotropic Medication by Primary Care Physicians and Psychiatrists
Beardsley et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1988;45:1117-1119.
ABSTRACT  

Psychiatric Megatrends and the Elderly
Glass
JAMA 1987;257:527-528.
ABSTRACT  

Alcohol Abuse, Other Drug Abuse, and Mental Disorders in Medical Practice: Prevalence, Costs, Recognition, and Treatment
Kamerow et al.
JAMA 1986;255:2054-2057.
ABSTRACT